ERS | monograph Guest Editors Christian B. Laursen Christian B. Laursen is Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark (Odense, Denmark). He is a Consultant and Head of Research at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Odense University Hospital (Odense). He qualified in medicine at the University of Southern Denmark and trained in pulmonology at Svendborg Sygehus (Svendborg, Denmark) and Odense University Hospital. He received his PhD in point-of-care ultrasonography at the University of Southern Denmark. Christian Laursen’s research interests lie particularly in clinical ultrasound, interventional pneumology, medical education and technical training. His current research focuses on the use of advanced and multiparametric ultrasound for malignancy in the chest, complex pleuropulmonary infections and interstitial lung diseases. He is one of the cofounders of an international collaborative research network in thoracic ultrasound education and training. The network currently involves the Oxford Pleural Unit at the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine (Oxford, UK), Southmead Hospital (Bristol, UK), the Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation (CAMES) (Copenhagen, Denmark), and the Department of Respiratory Medicine and Regional Centre of Technical Simulation (TechSim) (Odense, Denmark). The aim of the collaboration is to provide evidence- based educational programmes in thoracic ultrasound and related procedures. Christian Laursen chairs the Danish Society of Respiratory Medicine’s Ultrasound Committee and is Course Director of the European Respiratory Society’s course in thoracic ultrasound. Copyright ©ERS 2018. Print ISBN: 978-1-84984-093-4. Online ISBN: 978-1-84984-094-1. Print ISSN: 2312-508X. Online ISSN: 2312-5098. https://doi.org/10.1183/2312508X.10001018 xi